Nationwide strike: Protests in Colombia remain alive to the cry of “no more violence”

RIO DE JANEIRO, BRAZIL – Protests in Colombia remained alive this Wednesday to the cry of “no more violence”, as the demonstrations that have lasted for eight days left at least 11 confirmed dead, according to the Attorney General’s Office.

The Ombudsman’s Office reported today at least 24 homicides during the protests. Still, the Prosecutor General’s Office said later that after using “all the mechanisms of judicial clarification”, it had determined that “11 violent deaths occurred during these demonstrations, seven are being verified, and six homicides have no link”.

The second day of the “national strike” was marked by vigils, banging pots and pans, and peaceful sit-ins. The demonstrators raised a prayer in memory of the dead and rejected the excesses of the Mobile Anti-Riot Squad (Esmad) of the Police.

However, there were also disturbances in cities such as Bogotá, where vandals tore down the fences of the Capitol and threw stones at the police officers who dispersed the protest with tear gas; in the Caribbean city of Santa Marta, where there was looting and rioting, and in Medellín, where there were confrontations and even a station of the Metroplús bus system was set on fire.

However, the most delicate situation occurred in Pereira, capital of the department of Risaralda, in the Eje Cafetero, where three young people, when they were participating in a demonstration, were seriously wounded by shots fired by unknown persons on the César Gaviria Viaduct, which links that city with neighboring Dosquebradas .

THE FRIENDLY SIDE OF THE PROTESTS

Musicians, actors, and acrobats showed today a friendly face to the protests with various artistic and cultural expressions to call for dialogue, propose reflection and ask for changes in the government’s economic and social policy.

The focus of these colorful demonstrations was in Medellin, in the northwest of the country, where the eighth day of demonstrations was opened by a concert in the Parque de los Deseos, which was spontaneously joined by local artists, who played tunes in support of the national strike and life.

“Art is a powerful tool for protest, a transforming element”, said to Efe Juan Ernesto Arias, organizer of the artistic interventions that clamored for the authorities to “stop the abuses”.

The most striking moment was an acrobat wrapped in the Colombian flag with a “slackline” number, who moved with ease while hundreds of compatriots enjoyed his performance and launched harangues.

DIALOGUES WITHOUT PROTESTERS

Meanwhile, President Iván Duque began this Wednesday his “Meeting to advance in an agenda on the fundamentals”, a dialogue with which he seeks to solve the problem that Colombia is experiencing, but to which he did not invite leaders of the protesters or the opposition on his first day.

“President Iván Duque is credited for his willingness to dialogue, but frankly I do not understand why he does not meet from today to seek agreements with the Strike Committee, which expects serious dialogue since 2019,” said Juan Fernando Cristo, who was Minister of the Interior during the Government of Juan Manuel Santos (2010-2018).

According to the Government, whose spokesman is the High Commissioner for Peace, Miguel Ceballos, today’s meeting was attended by representatives of universities, student organizations, community leaders, governors, and mayors.

The official assured that the leaders of the National Strike Committee would participate in the talks on May 10.

“The political and agreed solution to this crisis that has been going on for more than eight days is in the hands of the National Government. I appreciate the call for dialogue, but I would like to make a call for common sense: those with whom we must dialogue are those who are in the streets, who are young people,” said Claudia Lopez, mayor of Bogotá, one of the cities hardest hit by the violence.

POLICE CHARGED AND SEARCH FOR MISSING PERSONS

On the other hand, the Prosecutor General of Colombia stated that the agency he heads would charge police officers for the homicides of three civilians during the demonstrations.

“Three of these homicides will be charged to members of the National Police in the framework of these demonstrations,” said chief prosecutor Francisco Barbosa, in a joint statement with the Ombudsman, Carlos Camargo.

Meanwhile, the Ombudsman’s Office said that 89 people had been reported missing since the demonstrations began, but prosecutor Barbosa assured that 38 of them “have already been located”. “We still have 51 people pending location in the next few days,” said the official.